BIO: Winfield A. WALKER, Huntingdon County, PA
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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley:
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry,
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M.
Runk & Co., 1897, pages 376, 379.
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WINFIELD A. WALKER, Shirleysburg, Pa., was born in Franklin county,
Pa., June 8, 1850, son of Andrew and Isabella (Campbell) Walker.
Looking backwards over three generations, we find Mr. Walker's maternal
great-grandparents, who came from Ireland, and settled in Franklin
county, where Mr. Campbell was a farmer. His son Andrew was born in
that county, and married Mary, daughter of Robert McFarland, a native
of the same county. Andrew Campbell like his father, was employed in
cultivating the ground. He was a prominent man in his township, filling
the offices of supervisor and school director. He had the following
children: Isabella (Mrs. Walker); Robert; John; Mary (Mrs. Simon
Piper); and Rachel (Mrs. Robert Fleming), who died at the age of
thirty-eight; her husband is also deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were
Presbyterians. Mr. Campbell died in 1886, at the age of eighty-eight
and his wife in 1891, aged ninety-two. Mr. Walker's paternal
grandfather came to Pennsylvania from Virginia, which was his native
State. His son Andrew, father of Winfield A. Walker, was born in
Franklin county, as was his wife, Isabella Campbell. He began life as a
general laborer. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Walker are: Winfield A.;
Mary, who died in 1860, aged eight years; Margaretta; James; John; and
Charlotte, wife of James Richardson, who died in 1881, aged twenty.
Andrew Walker died May 12, 1862, aged thirty-six; his wife still
survives, is in the enjoyment of good health, at seventy-three years of
age, and resides at Dry Run, Franklin county. They adhered to the
Presbyterian church.
The school education of Winfield A. Walker was begun in the common
schools of his native county, and completed when he arrived at the age
of nineteen, at the Path Valley Academy, Franklin county. When his
studies were finished, he began farming the homestead, his father
having died when Winfield was only twelve years old. He remained on the
home place until he was twenty-five years old. In 1876, he removed to
Shirley township, Huntingdon county, and farmed eleven years for Rev.
Mr. Alexander, at the same time cultivating his home place to twenty
acres, upon which he at present resides. He also owns and cultivates an
adjoining tract of 100 acres. Mr. Walker is a large fruit grower and
has a steam cider-mill on his place. In 1887, Mr. Walker was elected to
the school board, and served six years; and in 1895, was made justice
of the peace, and still holds that office. His politics are Republican.
Winfield A. Walker was married January 19, 1875, to Margaretta E.,
daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Brinley) De Vor. Their children are:
Mary; Olio; John; Newton H.; Ira J., who died April 26, 1881, aged four
years; Samuel A., died January 18, 1881, at the age of five months;
Nora L., died February 23, 1884, aged five years; Charles, died April
2, 1895, aged five years and ten months; and Jessie W., died April 12,
1895, aged twelve years, three months and twenty-four days. Mr. Walker
is a member of the Presbyterian church of Shirleysburg.
Mrs. W. A. Walker was born February 24, 1850. Her parents were both
natives of Franklin county, her father born May 16, 1827, and her
mother February 9, 1831. Mr. De Vor's occupation was farming, but he
had worked for two years at blacksmithing. He has held various township
offices. He was married, March 1, 1849, to Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob
and Catherine (Clippinger) Brinley. Their children were: Sarepta (Mrs.
Daniel Haines), died October 19, 1886, aged twenty-nine; John, died
October 31, 1886, aged twenty-three; Margaretta (Mrs. Walker); William
D.; Mary (Mrs. Amos Kirkpatrick) her husband deceased; Dorris M.; Anna
(Mrs. Arthur Johnson); Luella (Mrs. William G. Steele); Jessie C. (Mrs.
Max Skinner); and Huldah. Mr. and Mrs. De Vor were connected with the
Presbyterian church. Mrs. De Vor died April 22, 1888, aged fifty-seven.
Her husband survives, and resides at Spring Run, Franklin county.
Jesse De Vor, Mrs. Walker's paternal grandfather, was a farmer, born
in Franklin county. His wife was Amy Peterson. Their children were:
Mary (Mrs. David Gamble); Amos; Jacob; Joseph; James; and Elizabeth;
the last four are deceased. The grandfather died at the age of sixty-
two years; the grandmother also is deceased. They were members of the
Presbyterian church. Jacob Brinley, Mrs. Walker's maternal grandfather,
was a native of Franklin county. His wife was Catherine Klippinger. Mr.
Brinley was a farmer. They had a family of twelve children.